Jane Mangan’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day Three preview

Jane Mangan is here to preview the third day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

Thursday, Cheltenham

The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (1:20pm) has attracted the maximum field of 24 runners. This is the tenth renewal of the race, and of the nine run, Willie Mullins has trained five winners. He saddles no fewer than seven contenders here, and I think one of his entries is being overlooked. Karoline Banbou is overpriced; she boasts Grade One bumper form from France. She was well backed when falling short to a stablemate on her debut, but she made no mistake at Fairyhouse next time, making all to win. I think this filly is far better than her price suggests and will go very close to giving Willie Mullins another winner in the contest.

The Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase (2:00pm) is a tough puzzle to solve, but I’ve come down on the side of Joseph O’Brien’s Nurburgring. He won the Galway Hurdle off a mark of 139 over the summer and runs here off 143, with the yard in sparkling form. To me, he looks well-handicapped on his debut over the larger obstacles. He is the one to beat. I like Answer To Kayf as an each-way selection. He finished fourth in last year’s Martin Pipe; this is his ideal track and trip. I think he will outrun his price. I’m backing Nurburgring to win, with Answer To Kayf chasing him home!

For me, the Pertemps Network Final (2:40pm) is the toughest race on the card. I’m tentatively siding with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Will The Wise to bring up a hat-trick of wins despite his 11lb rise in the handicap. He won the last qualifier at Punchestown, and Cromwell’s string has been in sparkling form this week. I think there is much more to come from this horse despite his hike in the weights, and I expect Keith Donoghue to play his cards late on a horse who could still have something up his sleeve from the handicapper.

The race of the day, for me, is the Ryanair Chase (3:20pm). If we were considering Fact To File a genuine contender for the Gold Cup against Galopin Des Champs, then he should win here. There’s no doubt the king of National Hunt racing has had his measure all season, but I think Fact To File is a class apart in this contest. The addition of French raider Il Est Francais will ensure a strong gallop, which will make Mark Walsh’s job easier in settling Fact To File. If he is ever to be a Gold Cup horse, he has to win here—and I think he will. I’m backing Fact To File to win the Ryanair Chase, with last year’s winner Protektorat chasing him home.

I’ve long believed that this year’s renewal of the Stayers’ Hurdle (4:00pm) isn’t a vintage one—it lacks depth and quality. The main attraction is last year’s winner, Teahupoo. He’s a horse with far more to offer, and the fact that we haven’t seen him since his run behind Lossiemouth in the Hatton’s Grace means his opposition is attracting support. In reality, Home By The Lee is a ten-year-old, The Wallpark has been running in handicaps, and Teahupoo is a Grade One specialist. It might seem a boring selection, but I think Jack Kennedy will get his Grade One victory at the festival.

The Brits have a great record in the handicap chases at the Cheltenham Festival, and I don’t think that will change in the Plate (4:40pm). Masaccio has had cheekpieces fitted for the first time. He won a handicap at Newbury in November before being thrown into Graded company. He was no match for The Jukebox Man at Aintree but improved last time when third behind Jagwar at Cheltenham. He is now six pounds better off with that rival, and I think he can give Tom Cannon and Alan King a winner.

The Kim Muir (5:20pm) for amateur riders isn’t a simple equation, but I have no doubt that the horse down the bottom of the weights would be the most popular winner of the meeting—Walking On Air. He came to win the Great Yorkshire Chase last time out at Doncaster before coming down at the last and returns here with Alan O’Sullivan on board, the brother of Michael O’Sullivan. Alan’s great value for his five-pound claim, and carrying a handy ten stone eight, he’s going to feel like he’s walking on air. His strong-travelling running style will suit the big field here, and he’ll have divine support from somewhere. Walking On Air to win the Kim Muir and bring the house down at Cheltenham!